


Devil’s Dandruff

by Pelissa



Series: MIA REU [3]
Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chris being Chris, Chris is on his way to become Jake's second dad, Drug Dealing, Jill is being a great friend, M/M, Multi, S.T.A.R.S., accidental love confession, angst in later chapters, being a father isn't easy for Wesker, police work, this is gonna get serious with chapter 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-01-25 10:53:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12529700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelissa/pseuds/Pelissa
Summary: The S.T.A.R.S. team got a new case and has their hands full with finding clues and evidence. Additionally, Wesker has to look after his child and Chris makes impulsive life decisions and pours out his heart to Jill and Jake.Following a bit after the events of 'The Elevator Incident'.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HOT DAMN - I love this series so much.  
> Have the next part which will be longer than the others.

**________________**

This was very impulsive, irrational and dumb. So very dumb. There was no way to rationally explain his actions and it was painfully obvious why he did what he did. There was no denying that it was an act of love and it would complicate their work relationship immensely. Wesker was ready to forget about the drunken incident and the elevator incident, but this, this was unable to ignore. This was permanent. Just when things started to get normal and he could have civilized talks with his captain again, he had to do _this_.

**________________**

 

Jake was in their office again. He was having a light fever, not too worrisome, but their captain was unable to find someone to babysit him and leaving him home alone was out of the question. And yes, Wesker couldn’t take the day off. No, he had to work.

‘Workaholic’.

Admittedly, the alpha team was working on an important case and it was commendable – and direly needed - that Wesker was doing the planning, phone calls, and paperwork, while watching over his sick child, who was sitting on a sofa, bundled up in big blankets with a book in his lap. The sight of Wesker dotting over his sweet baby boy was melting Chris’ heart and he wanted nothing more than to drop down on his knee and ask for his hand in marriage. Which, obviously, would be insanely creepy, because they weren’t together. Not even friends. Just colleagues.

‘Just colleagues’. Chris sighed deeply.

 

Fortunately, Chris was tasked with the observation of a building which was rumored to be the hotspot of a new drug scene. It was a bar/bordello which was rather famous in the neighborhood and had a big circle of customers. What made the place so popular was that they apparently had the right woman or men for anyone – so they say. At least that’s what people told Chris when he started doing research on the place. The drug rumor, though, is a new one and no one he had asked could provide any decent information.

Due to their limited intel, the whole alpha team was on observation duty, which is why Chris and Jill were currently sitting in a coffee across the street, watching who regularly entered the building through the back door, while they maintained small talk to keep up their cover. Brad was located in a building not too far from the coffee shop in the second story of an apartment complex, sneaking peaks through the closed curtains to take photos of the suspects as fast as possible whenever he got notified by Chris or Jill.

 

“It’s nice to see Jake opening up to his father. It was hard to watch him say no to Jake, though. You could clearly see that it pained him to do so,” Jill offered, starting their conversation while looking sideways here and then for any suspicious person.

“Yeah,” Chris sighed at the memory. “But a dog is impossible for them. Wesker is working full time as captain and he lives alone with Jake. Hard to tell a child no when it finally starts asking for things.”

“You would have bought Jake the dog yourself if he had started crying,” Jill joked teasingly.

Chris laughed in reply. “You know, I maybe would have actually bought him a whole bunch of dogs if he had started to cry.” He got a small laugh as an answer from his partner. His mood, however, turned soar the next moment - after remembering that the boy was pretty close to crying - and his own smile vanished completely. These feelings were interfering with his work life and he had not the faintest idea how to stop them before he did something really stupid, something that would change everything. “I am screwed, huh?”

 

A look of sympathy graced Jill’s face and she reached out for his hand. “Not screwed. It’s not like it would be completely impossible. You don’t know for certain that he only dates women. Just ask him out already. The worst that can happen is that he says no.” The look she received from Chris was answer enough that he didn’t believe that there was the slightest chance for them both to end up as a couple. “Look, you don’t know if you don’t try. And to spur you on, if you don’t ask him for a date in - let’s say the next three months - I will ask him out for you, and that will be embarrassing. For the both of us.”

 

“Jill, shit- no!” Chris yelled in horror, making quite a lot of heads turn towards them in curiosity. Probably not particularly favorable for their cover as a couple which was enjoying a coffee and some snacks. He lowered his voice for the next part. “You can’t be serious!”

“You will see in three months,” she whispered back, followed by her calmly sipping her coffee.

This wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear, prompting him to lean over their table and make direct eye contact with her. “Jill, please, don’t.”

“Okay, I won’t,” Jill promised him. She didn’t stop there, though. They weren’t through with the subject. “But you have to do something. You are suffering and I don’t like seeing you in this state.”

It’s not like he didn’t know.

His head bopped down on the desk, causing a few other customers to watch them again. He didn’t give a damn if he was raising attention with that display. Chris was having a serious problem and the only two options he could decide on were impossible. He couldn’t just erase how he felt and he damn sure couldn’t ask out Wesker. Maybe he should take up Jill on her offer. On second thought, he would have to leave this town forever if she actually did it.

Another sigh escaped him as Jill petted his head this time.

 

**________________**

 

While walking back home after an uneventful workday, Chris stopped in front of a shop window, absently studying the things the shop had to offer. And then it hit him. An insane idea crossed his mind and he froze on the spot, debating with himself if he was actually going to do that.

He couldn’t.

He really couldn’t.

That didn’t stop him from sprinting home and talking with the overly chatty elderly lady who lived in the flat across his own.

 

**________________**

 

How was he going to explain this - this irrational, impulsive decision?

The best course of action was to never ever tell anyone and hide his purchase from everyone who knew him forever. But he really wanted to surprise Wesker and Jake. So, now he was torn between telling and showing or lying about this for at least a year, maybe three. Not that he would want to hide it. It was a great purchase – the best purchase he had ever made - he always wanted to have this, but he never had the chance to afford it. He barely had been home during his time in the air force and before that he had to look after Claire. To be completely honest right now wasn’t the best time either with his always changing work schedule which was why he had to make a deal with his friendly neighbor.

 

He almost decided on hiding it.

But Jill was right. He had to do something about his situation and this was a possible way to set things into motion, to have proper conversations with his captain.

However, it would change their relationship forever.

Permanently.

 

Even though he had a sinking feeling in his gut, he was surprisingly eager to share the change in his life. He was looking forward to seeing Jake again in their office.

 

**________________**

 

They had made progress in their case (admittedly little progress); Bravo team being the ones doing the observation right now, for the alpha team needed rest to recover their energy and time to find the connections between their findings. All of them – minus Wesker, he was in chief Irons' office - were seated in their office with a huge wide board on the side of the room, full of evidence, photos, and lines connecting them. There were also question marks and pictures not connected to anything which was why they were currently staring at the board, trying to come up with an idea.

Nothing.

They were stuck.

 

Jake’s babysitter, a young and charming woman – setting off alarms in Chris’ head – just came through the door to drop off the boy. It already was rather late and their captain would leave in a few minutes together with his son. Chris could do it now, while Wesker was still occupied with his report for chief Iron. But the beauty of the woman discouraged him quite a lot. If he weren’t that enamored with his boss already, he probably would try to flirt with her; making Chris questioning whether she had a fling with Wesker and thus ruining all his chances.

 

For fuck's sake, he would never have a chance if he didn’t try.

 

Chris approached the woman before any of his teammates had the chance – Joseph looked like he desperately wanted to talk with her. He looked more laid-back than he truly was, his eyes giving him away. It would have been an awfully embarrassing sight to witness, just like the one in the bar, so Chris had all the more reason to talk with her first.

“Hey, my name is Chris.” He started, offering his hand in greeting which she accepted without hesitation, a firm grip of her own.

“Nadia,” she replied with a smooth voice which was full of confidence - she definitely would be Wesker’s type. Damn.

 

“Wesker is still in a meeting. I can watch over Jake if you want to leave already.” Chris let go of her hand, having noticed the soft skin of her hand. They were like silk compared to his own hands. Why again would Wesker choose someone like him over her? He cursed himself for his self-doubt.

“That would be great if it is alright with you, Jake. What do you say, sweetheart?” Nadia whispered towards Jake with a warm smile on her lips. She would be a great mother for him. _‘God damn it, Redfield. Stop that.’_

 

“T’s okay. Chris is nice,” Jake answered with a shrug. The gesture seemed very dismissive but Chris knew better. The boy just tried to hide all his emotions - which was rather unhealthy for a child. Jake calling him ‘nice’ was a huge thing and Chris suddenly got all his confidence back. He would do this tonight.

She softly stroked the boy’s cheek then and said ‘Alright, see you tomorrow Jake’ before nodding her head towards Chris in gratitude and leaving the office again. Chris was painfully aware of his teammates watching him, listening in on the whole thing, so he grabbed the boy and hauled him up into his arms. “How about one of my great cocoa drinks? What do you say?”

“Hm.” Jake nodded his head in agreement and held onto Chris with his arms around his neck. “You are just as strong as my dad.”

“And just as tall,” Chris mentioned in friendly banter. Okay, maybe Wesker was one, maybe two inches taller than him. Who cared? He certainly didn't. He didn't. Really. And he certainly didn’t feel attacked by Joseph snickering because of his statement. They were basically the same height, alright?

 

He walked over to the kitchen counter in the office with the coffee machine and microwave, placing Jake down on it to talk more privately with him, away from the prying eyes of his co-workers. Chris asked him about his day as he prepared the drink for him, listening closely to the tale of the boy. He was becoming good friends with Moira but kept his distance from the other children. They were too annoying for his taste. As he said that he sounded like a childlike mini-version of Wesker and it was the freaking cutest thing in the world.

Wesker managed to get him into the same class as Moira – Burry’s daughter – even though, she was one year older than him (- apparently the boy was just as smart as his father). That way he could also rely on Kathy to watch over him while working. Needless to say, his relationship with the Burton family improved considerably by their arrangement; even going as far as Kathy prepping meals for Jake here and then. Chris was only a little jealous of the fact but it also was a great opportunity for him to meet his captain whenever he was invited over to Barry’s place for dinner.

Anyway.

 

“I wanted to punch him. He was talking too much.” Oh dear, he was also just as short-tempered as his father, but the blond knew perfectly well how to hide his irritation and not act on his impulses.

“You know you can’t do that, right?” Chris inquired, just to make sure.

The boy looked sullenly at the ground, avoiding looking at Chris as he replied. “Yeah.”

 

Oh great. Now there was this heavy silence between them; Jake did stop talking to him altogether. He wanted the boy to jump in excitement, not putting him in a sour mood. Chris rubbed a finger over his forehead as he thought about what to do or say.

Maybe now was the right moment to drop the bomb? And then presenting him the wonderful warm cocoa drink. That sounded like a good idea.

 

He leaned towards Jake, beckoning him with his pointer finger to lean in as well. Jake’s curiosity was piqued by his demeanor right away and did just that, waiting for whatever Chris would tell him now. The brunet glanced to the side briefly, lowering his voice when he spoke, making quite the show for the boy. “I have a secret, Jake, and I want you to be the first one to know.”

Big blue eyes returned his gaze, waiting impatiently now for Chris' secret, but keeping silent.

 

“I got myself a dog.”

-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *evil laughter*  
> There is an evil cliffhanger at the end ;)

-

“I got myself a dog.”

 

First, there was silence, Jake’s eyes widening as he kept staring at Chris. Then his jaw dropped open, disbelieve clearly written over his face, not believing the words he had just heard. And lastly, his face brightening up, followed by a loud excited scream that he immediately tried to muffle – this being a secret and all that. Instead, he sat up straight and grabbed onto Chris’ arm, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Can I- see it? Please?”

Chris hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. Jake had been a rather quiet and shy kid so far. He really must have wanted a dog in his life and it made Chris adore the boy even more. “Sure thing. But you have to ask your father first if you two can swing by.” He might have phrased it like that on purpose to get Jake to drag along Wesker as well. Who was there to judge him?

“Mhm! What is its name?” Jake was still rather excited but tried to keep down his voice.

 

Chris turned around to look at his co-workers. They were all still working, having quite the discussion –  even after Jake’s outburst - only Jill was glancing at them from the distance with a knowing smile. He would have to tell her all the details later. Maybe Jake would beg his father to see his dog in front of everyone else and then he wouldn’t need to tell anyone anymore.

“Actually, I just recently got one and haven’t given her a name yet.” That was a light lie. He actually wanted Jake to give her a name. After all, he intended to share her with him…. And later with Wesker as well. “Want to help me pick one?” He asked him, giving Jake a wink.

“Yes! Please,” Jake nearly screeched in excitement, all bouncy and animated, his gaze not wavering from Chris.

 

Oh damn, he was really smitten with the kid now. His reactions were just too cute.

 

The next moment Wesker entered the office, looking really annoyed – Iron probably had been chewing off his ear during the whole talk - and instantly spotted his son sitting on the counter next to Chris with a huge smile on his face. That certainly was an odd sight for him. He approached them swiftly, pocketing his sunglasses in his breast pocket before he interrupted their talk (because Jake still didn’t like the look).

“What got you so excited, Jake?” Wesker asked in wonder, one of his eyebrows quirked up. The great mood of his son improved his own considerably. That was another thing that had changed about the man since the little boy entered his life.

 

“Dad!” Jake ‘s head whirled around as soon as he heard his father’s voice, the big smile still in place. “Can we visit Chris at home? Today? Please? I will go to bed immediately after!”

 

The surprise about Jake’s outburst was quite evident on Wesker’s face. When you had worked a while for the blond you start to note the small changes in his expressions (which were hardly there to begin with). The captain shot Chris a look, loaded with suspicion before turning back to his son and asking him: “Why do you want to visit his place?”

Jake waved for his father to come closer, eyes wide again as if he was sharing an important secret. Wesker played along by leaning down a bit for his son to whisper into his ear. “It’s a secret! I don’t know if I can tell you, dad.”

 

The boy was too cute. Chris would have adopted him right on the spot.

 

Wesker’s eyes settled on Chris, watching him for any clue indicating what this was all about, as he thought about what to decide on. Chris looked a little nervous but also psyched up at the same time. It was painfully obvious that he was hiding something. A few seconds later Wesker spread out his arms to pick up Jake, strapping him against his hip. “A secret, hm? I guess we will have to visit Chris to find out.” He told his son with a hint of a smile. Then he gazed over at Chris. “Is that alright?”

 

Chris' heart started to beat a little faster. “Sure thing, captain.”

“Alright, we will visit you after your shift.” With that Wesker turned around leaving the shared office to probably go home with his son in the meantime.

 

Time couldn’t pass fast enough.

 

**________________**

 

He was a nervous wreck.

They would arrive here any moment and he couldn’t over them anything besides pizza and water. The place also wasn’t properly cleaned, not the greatest mess but still kind of embarrassing for a grown man in such a position. Why was he such an idiot!? Spontaneously inviting them over without preparing for a visit beforehand – a classic Chris move. He wouldn’t mind if it was his sister or one of his friends. They were fine with ordering in. But Wesker? What did he like after a long day at work? Was Jake allowed to eat junk food? Had they already eaten dinner? How would Wesker react to the dog?

 

_Oh god._

Would he realize that he had bought the dog for Jake?

 

Said dog was wiggling her tail as she ran repeatedly through his legs as fast as she could. It was unbelievable adorable and hard to look away from, being as she was still a small puppy that was very clumsy when trying to run. She eased his worries a bit and he crouched down to stroke through her white and orange soft fur. She jumped into his arms and her tail wiggled faster than before. Chris couldn’t help smiling as he held her small paws in his big hands.

It was evident that he was falling for the dog. Wesker wouldn’t notice the true reason and Jake would be thrilled.

 

Then his doorbell rang.

 

The uneasiness from before came back right away, threatening to drown him with a big wave of anxiety. The puppy started to bark as soon as the doorbell rang and as a result, Chris hurried to the door to let them in. He didn’t need to run for the door, though, it was quite obvious what the secret was after his little dog started to yelp in response to the bell. At least Jake would immediately meet their dog.

 

As soon as the door sprang open the little dog tried to jump the two new strangers’ legs, lungs producing loud barks of excitement. And Jake actually _squealed_ in delight as soon as the puppy tried to climb his legs, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close. She licked his face quite thoroughly but Jake didn’t mind and brushed his fingers through her soft fur over and over again, not letting go of her.

Wesker stood next to them, watching the display with a bit of uncertainty (or was it disbelief?), all of them still occupying the doorway.

Chris wasn’t sure what to do either and just waved his hand in greeting. “Hey…” A short pause followed. “You wanna come in?”

 

Wesker was speechless for a moment, clearly not having expected this development. Chris was sure he would get a piece of his mind a bit later. ”I suppose we do, yes,” he replied absently, still watching his son cuddle with the dog while having a full blown smile on his face. It was quite something. Something to memorize.

Neither of both adults wanted to interrupt Jake’s joy but they really needed to enter the flat and close the door. Chris was grateful for his neighbors’ help with taking care of the dog but he rather didn’t want them to get spotted by her and invited over to a cup of tea with both Weskers in tow because he might have told her that he got the dog for a little red-haired boy. Chris gave off a whistle and patted his leg to signal his dog to come back in which she luckily did and obediently followed the direction he pointed towards. Good. This could have ended with him dragging her back in because she wasn’t that well trained yet. Luck, yep. She also maybe did as he had told her because he had a little treat in his fingers which he probably threw towards the sofa. Who knew?

 

He better offered them something to drink now – water or beer.

He remembered his fridge was empty.

Great.

 

Chris rubbed the back of his neck as soon as the door was closed and Wesker inspected his flat. It was the first time the man had set foot into his apartment and Chris felt a little self-conscious about the whole thing. He earned enough to afford a better place but honestly didn’t care about it. He rather enjoyed the coziness of the small place. Jake didn’t seem to mind and plunged himself onto the sofa next to the dog, stroking her fur again. Chris would need gripper tongs to separate them later.

The brunet pointed at the sofa when Wesker turned to look at him, seemingly done with scrutinizing the place. “You can sit down wherever you want. Can I get you two… water? Should I order something in?”

Frustration settled in. This wasn’t how he imagined their first visit in his flat to transpire. Wesker sent him an unreadable look before sitting down next to his son on the soft sofa, placing a plastic bag on his coffee table. Apparently Chris was too much of a nervous wreck to realize Wesker brought some sort of gift with him, being the well-mannered person he is. It was freaking cute, to be honest. “Water is fine. There is no need to waste money. Jake insisted we bring the pastry we had received from Kathy.”

 

Chris blinked.

So they visited Kathy after leaving the office? Were Wesker and Kathy good friends now? What did they talk about? Was Barry involved in those talks? He wanted to get the answers to all his questions but it would be really rude to start interrogating your guest right away. The safest route was to find out about the pastry first. 

“What did she bake?” Chris asked over his shoulder as he was getting two glasses and filling them with water.

“I believe they are called ‘curd cheese pockets’. A creamy light curd cheese mass surrounded by crispy pastry dough.” Wesker replied instantly.

Aha.

Why did Wesker sometimes sound like he was citing a dictionary? It was utterly ridiculous and irking him but something he loved about the man all the same.

 

Before Chris could attempt any more small-talk Wesker got right to the point, leaving him no possible way to avoid this certain topic. “What in the world possessed you to purchase a dog with your amount of work time?” His tone very even but Chris could hear the harsh note in his voice.

_Shit._

Was he scolding him like a little child?

In front of his own child?

 

Well, it was already time to lie to his boss.

“It’s not my dog. Not originally,” Chris started, hoping the lie he prepared was believable. “My sister’s friend had a dog that recently had puppies and my sister wanted to help her by taking one in. But with driving back and worth to university she couldn’t keep the puppy and made me look after the little girl.” Might as well tell the whole thing. At least he thought the whole thing through, leaving no possible way for Wesker to ridicule him for his decision. “I made a deal with my neighbor – she is helping me looking after her so the puppy should be fine.”

Wesker made a noncommittal sound in reply and left it at that, an awkward silence following.

 

Chris was wrong.

They were far from having civilized talks again. He still needed to make amendments for those two fuck-ups in recent past. However, this was something to dwell on later – right now he needed to have some sort of talk with any of the two Weskers.

 

“Have you decided on a name yet, Jake?” Chris asked the little boy who was still petting the dog, causing Wesker to raise an eyebrow. Okay. He needed to explain that while Jake was still thinking about an answer, tilting his head to the side in thought while she liked his hand. “She has no name yet and I promised Jake he could choose one.” Absolutely believable.

Jake suddenly straightened his back and let go of the puppy, his face all alight with excitement (and was there a little bit of mischief or was it just his imagination?). “I know what to call her! I will give her my other name –but different.”

Both adults looked at Jake in puzzlement. He noticed that and thought about how to explain his thought process to them.

“Wesker, but different. Uh.” Jake thought for a second, then a huge toothy grin was on his face.

 

“Whiskers!”

 

Wesker’s face dropped, his perfected mask actually crumbled apart completely and Chris had to stop himself with all his might from laughing at the man’s expense. And then everything went to shit. Of course it had to. He couldn’t have a single nice moment with them.

Everything was said at once.

 

“No.” – Wesker

“What?” – Jake

“Whis- I mean Wesker-“ – Chris

“Exactly. That’s why I won’t allow this.” – Wesker

“You can’t be serious, I allowed him-“ – Chris

“-To make fun of me?” – Wesker

“No!” – Chris

“Choose another one.” – Wesker

“Wesker!” – Chris

 

“I am sorry, daddy,” Jake said in a quiet voice, eyes wide and burning with unshed tears.

 

And oh fuck, the look on Wesker’s face as soon as he saw the distress his son was in because of his outburst... Chris felt like he needed to do something to help him but he had no idea what. To be honest this was Wesker’s fuck-up - he needed to mend things, but they wouldn’t be in this situation if Chris hadn’t bought the dog.

Wesker was visibly uncomfortable with Chris witnessing this as he placed his hand on his son’s shoulder for comfort; so he was a good guy and cleared his throat, pointing at the bathroom. “I have to use the toilet right now, so, I am gonna leave for a bit.” He cringed at how awkward this sounded but he knew Wesker would appreciate this.

 

That was how he found himself wasting time in his own bathroom – staring at the ceiling to be specific - after such a successful afternoon with Jake in the office. Chris sighed at the possibility that this gift might destroy the nearly non-existent relationship he had with Wesker completely, ruining all his chances with the man if he had any, to begin with.

Minutes passed before the brunet dared to leave the room to check on Wesker and his son. To his relief, Jake was smiling again with the little puppy sitting on his lap, absently stroking through her fur as he and his father were whispering with each other. Wesker noticed his return immediately and stopped in the middle of whatever he was going to say to Jake. A pity.

Wesker stood abruptly then and looked into Chris' eyes. “I have to make an important phone call I, unfortunately, had forgotten about. Would you be so kind to watch over Jake while I make the call?” The blond sounded very professional. Either it had something to do with Umbrella or Wesker decided to stick to a solely professional relationship with him from now on. Both were not favorable explanations.

Chris nodded his head and watched Wesker leave for another room, even going as far as to close the door behind him. He obviously didn’t want them to hear any of his words, confirming Chris’ theory of this being about Umbrella (or a bloody murder case but Chris would have known about such a thing). This left him with the task of entertaining the little boy. In that moment Chris realized he hadn’t been alone with Jake in a room so far.

 

Suddenly his palms became rather sweaty.

How did one start a conversation with a kid that just had an argument with his father?

 

A minute passed.

 

Another one where he got himself a glass of water.

 

Another one where he slowly drank from the said glass.

 

Jake didn’t seem to mind, making plans with the puppy to build a small fort with her another time and maybe even going as far as to invite Moira to come along.

 

“What’s her name now?” Chris mentally face-palmed again. _‘Well done. Remind him of the little argument he had with his father’_.

Jake turned his head to look at him, replying right away. “Whiskers. Daddy is okay with the name.”

_Huh._

He had expected Wesker to insist on another name, going as far as to make a deal with the boy. This was a rather sweet gesture for the blond, demonstrating to Chris how much Wesker did change for his son in the little time they had spent together. “Your dad loves you a lot, hm?”

A shy smile formed on Jake’s lips. “Yeah.” He looked down at Whiskers, thinking hard about something that suddenly troubled his mind. Chris wondered about what Jake was making up his mind.

“I love my dad, too. A lot.” Jake said, voicing his thoughts.

“You do? I couldn’t hear the last part. How much do you love him?” Chris teased the boy, forgetting all about his anxiety from before. Jake was a great kid and liked him. There was nothing to worry about.

“A lot! I love daddy a lot!” Jake repeated louder, sitting straight up on the sofa now. Whiskers jumped down from his lap at the sudden motion and lied down next to him. “And I love Whiskers, too.” Jake murmured as he began to stroke her fur again.

“I am glad. I love the girl, too.” Chris replied nonchalantly.

The red-haired boy looked curiously up at him, pondering about what he was going to say next. After a moment he decided to ask the question that was on his mind. “And me? What about me?”

Chris blinked.

 

_Oh no._

 

He couldn’t tell Jake that he already loved him like his own son. What if he told Wesker about this? Although, the boy kept the details of their former talk to himself, so it wasn’t like Jake would breathe a word about this to his father. “I guess I like you a lot. I am even sharing my dog with you.”

Jake beamed at him. “I like you, too, Chris!” Then he halted for a moment, hesitating about asking his next question. The smile was off his face now.

“And what about daddy?”

 

_Oh god, no._

 

Chris rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about what to say. He had come to the point where it was hard to lie about his feelings for the man and he feared Jake would see through his lie. Avoiding this question could also ruin the good relationship he was building up to him. He took a short breath before answering him truthfully. “I like your dad.”

“A lot?”

 

Oh god, that child.

 

Chris wracked his brain for a proper answer, not really knowing what to do. It couldn’t be that Jake had noticed his deeper feelings for the man? However, the boy was very bright and perceptive for his age and could very well already suspect something. At that Chris internally face-palmed because there was no way Jake would have realized that. He simply cared for his father and wanted people around him who would support him as friends. Jake trusted Chris enough to want him as a good friend for his father.

 

Chris made another impulsive decision in that moment.

“I like your dad a lot.”

 

The boy still didn’t accept this answer, though. “As much as I do?”

 

_To hell with everything._

 

“Yes, I love him as much as you do.”

 

Jake’s eyes widened at that and the huge smile returned to his face.  “You really do?”

 

Chris went to sit down next to Jake, placing a hand on his shoulder as soon as he settled into a comfortable position. “I will tell you a secret if you promise not to tell your dad.”  He got a sharp nod from the boy, eager eyes watching him and waiting for the new secret. “I saw how it hurt your dad when he couldn’t buy you a dog,” _‘Here we go’_ , “You know, the story with my sister was a lie. I actually got the dog for you – for you two.”

At first Jake stared at Chris, not believing what he had just heard. When he finally processed the information he lunged himself at Chris and hugged him tight around his middle section, mumbling ‘thank you’ into his stomach. Chris couldn’t help but grin and hug him back just as tightly – of course not using his full strength. He decided that this absolutely was the right thing to do and hoped he would have the chance to build a strong bond with the boy in the near future.

 

 

During their whole talk, he hadn’t noticed that the door to his bedroom was ajar and Wesker had been listening in on them.

-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Myehehehe... I had a lot of stuff to do. University stuff. Ugh.  
> Enjoy the new chapter - finally with added art and the thing you all wanted to happen.

**_________________**

 

 

The rest of the evening was an awkward affair. Wesker avoided speaking to him at all cost, focusing solely on Jake and the dog for the whole time. Chris first brushed it off as Wesker being mad at him for Jake choosing that ridiculous name for his dog (actually it is a well-known name for cats…) but during the next week his behavior remained the same as during that evening and he stuck to a completely professional relationship. The captain only talked to him if direly needed and even went as far as changing their schedule so that he wouldn’t have to work together with him.

It proved his suspicion that he entirely ruined any chance he had with the man. They had been partners, even though they were bickering a lot. Wesker trusted him most in the team and chose him for every mission that didn’t require the special talent of another team member. Now that he refused to work with him, even if he needed his skills, was like a stab into to his heart with a wicked knife and Chris honestly didn’t know how to handle the situation. What did he do wrong this time? He was certain he was going to snap and confront Wesker in an inconvenient moment anytime soon - where people would be able to witness his outburst.

 

The thing was utterly frustrating. Apart from seeing Jake regularly, the evenings didn’t help to mend his relationship with his captain. Wesker (ever the professional) being in a clinch with him didn’t stop him from letting Jake visit his house and Whiskers and spend time with them. Chris grew so much closer to Jake during that week and he could honestly say he loved the boy like his own. God help him, he did.

How could he feel like this in this short amount of time? He wasn’t smitten, no. He wanted to be a part of his life like a father figure and the fact that his actual father tried to avoid him at all cost had been tearing at his heart. He wanted to be part of this family. Admitting this was the scariest thing in his entire life, his throat closing up at the mere thought of being unable to spend time with him or Jake in the near future, rendering him unable to breathe, speak or to do anything at all.

As a result, Chris was slacking at work and his colleagues had noticed. He was pretty damn sure Wesker had noticed as well but didn’t confront him about it. His uptight, work-obsessed captain didn’t care that he was slacking and it made him feel all the more depressed because it was a clear sign that the man wanted absolutely nothing to do with him anymore. Chris should stop right there, stop feeling like this, get out of there, apply for a new job and get his emotions and life back under control.

 

But he couldn’t. It was already too late for that. His cursed heart was bleeding all over the floor, leaving a huge mess in its wake and a feeling of emptiness inside of him.

 

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight the onslaught of emotions welling up inside of him while acting like he was not affected in the slightest. Jill had warned him, but he didn’t listen and now he was stuck in this position – too attached to ever let go again but Wesker completely out of reach.

 

It didn’t help that he was at work, 2 hours away from calling it a day and heading home to let little Jake into his flat to play with Whiskers. He would have to face an impassive Wesker for the evening again and he wasn’t ready to do so. And to make matters worse Wesker was working just as long as him today, meaning that they would even leave the building together while remaining silent all the way to their cars. He sighed as another minute passed.

Jill rolled over with her chair and stopped in front of his desk, placing her elbows on it. She eyed him for a moment, almost warily, before asking what had been on her mind all day. “What happened?”

 

Yeah, what exactly did happen? What did he do wrong? He had no idea how he pissed off Wesker this time.

 

“Jill,” he began as he leaned over his desk in order to have a more private conversation with her without others eavesdropping on them, “I am sure he hates me. No. Worse than that. He doesn’t even acknowledge my existence anymore. He has been avoiding me all week.”

She gave him a pointed look and remained quiet for a while, thinking over the events of the week and where he could have messed up. Of course, she found out about the dog and the incident with the name but if she thought this was the reason for their icy situation she would have told him. "I wish I knew how to help you, Chris.”

That was all? No advice? Did his situation really turn this hopeless?

Jill leaned in a bit closer as well, making sure he was looking into her face for her next sentence. “You have to talk with him. There is no other option left anymore. This situation keeping up will destroy you.”

Chris glanced down at the report he was working on, turning her words over in his head as he read the same word over and over again. He was forced to acknowledge the truth of them but he couldn’t come up with a solution. He frowned. “I don’t know how. He avoids any instance where he has to be alone with me.”

 

Wait…

Did Jill just smile at him?

“Leave that to me. You think about what you will say to him.”

 

Chris had a look of doubt on his face, not quite sure how she would accomplish that task. Jill wouldn’t dare to lock them in the same room together for an hour, would she? If she did, he feared that he would need to admit his feelings for him AND explain why they were both forced to stay in a room together. Adding the fact that Wesker was (at least a bit) claustrophobic would definitely turn this into a giant disaster. It wouldn’t help his case and just as he was about to warn Jill about putting such a plan into action, Wesker walked into the center of the room and asked for everyone’s attention.

 

“We got an intel on a drug dealer selling the new cocaine hybrid outside on the streets. We got a location and time frame. The man is highly secretive and therefore this mission requires a high level of skill and stealth. This is finally our chance to get a proper sample of the drug and a man on the inside which is why I will take only one man with me.” Wesker declared in front of the team.

The captain was looking at Jill, probably to get her to apply for the job. The most skilled in alpha team at combat and stealth were Chris and Jill and it was obvious to Chris that the man would pick Jill over him in their current situation. Chris had already resigned himself for another evening hunched over his desk but Jill had a mischievous gleam in her eyes, making him start to sweat a bit. What did she plan to do?

 

“You should take Chris. I don’t feel too well.” Jill started and Chris began to get worried. “To be honest, I am experiencing pain and fatigue from cramps and forgot all my products at home. I would be unsuitable for the mission.” Chris' mouth dropped open at that.

 Jill wasn’t someone to hide such things but loudly admitting them in such a blunt way was quite drastic even for her. He had a sure feeling that this was a blatant lie for the sake of Wesker and him spending some time alone together and he had no idea if he should cry or laugh about this turn of events.

Wesker’s jaw clenched, clearly displeased by the development and mulling over what to do. He obviously had to take Chris with him, especially since Jill outright told everyone to choose him. He had asked for the best man and Chris was the best man for the job.

 

“Chris, are you up for the task?” Wesker asked him directly then, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Chris didn’t care though. He had never scrambled to his feet as fast as in that moment.

 

**________________**

 

Making Wesker and him stay in a bar together while waiting for their suspect to show up, probably wasn’t the best thing Jill could force them to do right now but he sure as hell was damn grateful for being able to see Wesker like this, marveling at the sight of his captain in civilian clothes. He expected his closet to be full of button-up shirts similar to the ones he wore at work. It came as a shocker to see him in a plain thin dark red shirt and well fitting black jeans. The bonus was his unshielded eyes, the intense icy blue looking at him and turning him into mush. It made sense though; they needed to attract as less attention as possible and a guy wearing sunglasses in a bar during night would most certainly get people to stare at them. Wesker wore them less frequently anyway so he shouldn’t be as fascinated as he was about the sight. It was probably the whole attire. But that was beside the point.

It was a good look on Wesker and it nearly made him forget that they had a job to do which also included doing small talk in order to not stick out in the crowd. And Wesker wasn’t doing his part, obviously still avoiding him. Chris couldn’t let this keep going on. It wasn’t too unusual for men to remain silent while drinking in a bar but their suspect would definitely pick up on the tense atmosphere surrounding them.

Well.

Now or never.

If it was a good idea to start this talk while also keeping an eye out for their guy, Chris didn’t know but there wasn’t really anything left to talk about anymore.

 

“What did I do wrong, Wesker?” Chris started, unable to hide the note of hurt in his voice. “Where did I fuck up? I must have done something that seriously pissed you off. I mean, you won’t even look into my face since Jake started visiting me.”

Wesker remained silent but his eyes narrowed. It was a warning sign for him to immediately drop the subject but Chris had been so utterly frustrated for such a long time. He couldn't even think about stopping. He needed an answer. To everything.

 

“What was it? What the fuck did I do to make you hate me?” He was raising his voice now, gaining attention from people next to them.

“Chris,” Wesker hissed, another and final warning for him to keep quiet.

For the sake of their current task he really should have kept his mouth shut but as soon as he started it was like a dam broke inside of him. He couldn’t stop anymore even if he wanted to. “Was it what I did while I was drunk? What happened in the elevator? Me slacking off at work? That I share my dog with Jake? Her name? What was it?”

 

“Bloody hell! Everything. All of it and now stop talking,” Wesker yelled back at him, giving him such a venomous glare that it made Chris’ gut flip.

 

_Everything._

 

He should have expected that answer, he kind of did, but it still hurt like a bitch hearing him say it out loud. There was nothing left as a basis for something to develop between them.

 

“I really fucked up big time, huh?” A bitter laugh escaped Chris as he brushed his fingers through his hair. He groaned loudly when the meaning of that little word finally dawned on him.  He couldn’t work at S.T.A.R.S. anymore.

 

Wesker avoided looking at him and that was making things a lot easier for what he had to do next for his own wellbeing. After pulling out a bill for his ginger ale and placing it on the table he found the courage to end all of this and come clean. “I officially resign from my job. It was a great time and I thank you for the opportunity.”

The look of mild shock was something Chris didn’t expect to cross Wesker’s face at his sudden resignation. Without waiting any longer for a reply from the blond Chris rose to his feet and left the bar. Maybe he should have waited until they were able to catch their suspect and it was highly unfair to leave up the task for Wesker to do on his own but he needed to go as long as he still could, before he would change his mind and act like this all had been one big, unprofessional joke.

 

The walk to his car was unbearably hard for him, breathing becoming harder and harder with each step. He was cursing himself all the way, doubting his decision more and more the closer he got to the car until he reached his vehicle and sat down in the driver seat. Then his mind was blank – completely empty - and his body refused to do anything as he sat in the seat. A minute passed, maybe more. The only thing he was able to do was to let out a long, suffering sigh before letting his head sink and rest on the steering wheel.

 

The sudden opening and slamming of his passenger door startled him enough to make him jump in his seat and hit his head on the roof of the car. Hard.

 

Chris cursed quite profanely, rubbing the throbbing spot with his hand while turning around to look at the intruder.

 

He gulped.

 

It was Wesker… with an unreadable expression on his face. He could definitely identify fury as one of the emotions going on there but he was unable to gauge what kind of verbal assault he was about to receive from his captain. The blond was staring rather intensely into his eyes and Chris had never felt as small as in that very moment. Was he going to rip his head off for quitting his job in the middle of the mission?

The worst part about their current situation was that the blond turned away and remained silent, staring ahead through the windshield while Chris was having a small heart attack next to him. He wanting nothing more than to be swallowed by the ground. He felt like a small child waiting for their parents’ lecture and that mental image brought bittersweet memories he rather didn't want to dwell on.

 

Nothing.

 

“W-what… are you doing… in the car,” Chris asked slowly, too perplexed by Wesker’s presence after the huge bomb he just had dropped to ask anything more relevant. Like why he was sitting in here instead of checking the bar for their suspect.

Wesker was tense, unmoving for quite some time until he finally leaned back in his seat. He was still staring ahead with a look on his face Chris had never seen before and it was the weirdest and most entrancing thing to witness. It seemed like he was preparing himself for a talk and indeed, as soon as he changed his position he slightly parted his lips as to speak but not sure where to start. Chris himself couldn’t move, eyes fixated on his captain. What was he going to say?

 

“I believe I can’t give you what you want which is why I have to avoid you.”

 

Chris didn’t understand where this was coming from all of a sudden or where he was going with this but he listened patiently, giving Wesker the time he needed to say what he needed to say.

 

“I was pressured, no, forced into a certain role by Umbrella. I am not like other, normal people. What other people desire is without relevance to me. Friendship. Home. Belonging.” Wesker started to explain, not showing any form of emotions all the while and it was highly unnerving. 

“I think I am not able to feel any deeper emotions like love. The Wesker children were bred to obey, to be strong and to show no mercy or hesitation. They wanted us to be this way. They made us ruthless. Petty human emotions are supposed to be beneath us. The weak ones died early on in the project. Therefore I can’t have weaknesses. Jake is already as much of a weakness as I can allow myself to have,”

Chris wondered to what extend Umbrella had damaged him during his childhood. The man was still keeping his past a secret, sharing only the necessary bits with S.T.A.R.S. and right now Chris wished Wesker would have been more open towards them in the past few months. It was evident that he was hiding a lot of his inner demons. Might as well a lot of trauma. He just called his own son a ‘weakness’.

 

“I am certain I am unable to love you back.”

 

Chris blinks.

 

“I can’t allow myself to love you back.”

 

What.

He had known of the depths of his feelings all along. Chris was shocked into stillness by this. Now it was obvious why Wesker was avoiding him in any way possible. He wanted to smother all of Chris’ feelings by being a huge dick towards him. But Chris had already been too far gone for this approach to work.

 

“And now get out of the car. We have a job to finish.”

 

Chris blinked again. There was no doubt that Wesker understood why he resigned his job just a few minutes ago. Meaning that the blond wasn’t accepting the reason for his resignation and wanted him to stay and keep working for S.T.A.R.S. under his leadership. He was risking the success of the mission in order to convince Chris to stay. He wanted him to stay.

 

“Chris.” Wesker clearly demanded an answer but Chris’ had one puzzling realization after another.

 

The way Wesker phrased his rejection offered a lot of possibilities of interpretation. He ‘ _believed_ ’ they wouldn’t work as a couple. He couldn’t ‘ _allow_ ’ himself another weakness. Wesker wasn’t saying no. This wasn’t a clear no. Was there the smallest possibility that Wesker felt attracted to him? That and a hundred other questions were rushing through Chris’ mind and he found himself unable to anything without finally getting a clear answer - which he wasn’t going to get by asking Wesker nicely.

 

In one swift move, he leaned over in his seat and grabbed Wesker’s face, tugging him forward. There was a split second where Wesker could have shoved him away as Chris was nudging their noses together. But he hesitated and gave Chris the opportunity to press their lips together.

 

It was short and chaste.

Gentle.

Perfect.

 

It lasted only a few seconds as Chris drew back shortly after, lingering with their faces a mere inch separated. Their breaths were mingling together and he couldn’t believe that Wesker still hadn't shoved him away. The look of uncertainty in his icy blue eyes was even more surprising than getting that soft kiss. Wesker seemed at a loss for how to react and Chris didn’t blame him for the lack of response. Chris had acted according to his instincts again without thinking things through. To be completely honest he expected Wesker to punch him in the face before he could even kiss him properly but here he was, still close enough to continue the kiss if he wanted to.

 

“Let me help you. Please, I- shit.” Chris was begging him and he didn’t even know how, why and where exactly he was going with this. He knew not a thing about what was stopping the man in front of him from functioning like a normal human being. But he knew he needed to push now if he ever wanted to have a chance with him. “I don’t care if it’s going to be hard. I don’t care if you need breaks or avoid me from time to time.”

 

Wesker wasn’t given the chance to answer right away as Chris kept going. He needed him to hear this.

“I have fallen in love with you. I can’t go back to simply working with you together. I wouldn’t survive that. I adore Jake and I believe he likes me too. I would go through great lengths to make you both happy. I even bought a dog for Jake but I think you already figured out that one,” Chris felt the tension rise inside of him as he was spilling out everything he had bottled up inside of him, “Please, give me a chance. Go out with me.”

 

“This isn’t fair in the slightest.”

 

Huh.

 

Wesker features narrowed as he started to glare at Chris. “You are forcing me to decide between a relationship with you and your resignation. Whatever you wish to happen between the both of us will not work out that way.”

 

“You are right. I am sorry.” He meant it. Wesker was right. Chris completely ignored Wesker’s feelings as he admitted his feelings and asked him out. Nonetheless, he needed to discuss this right now. Otherwise, this would be over. Wesker would reject him later on if he let him leave this car without an answer. “I will take a vacation for two weeks starting tomorrow. Go out with me then. Any other important decisions can wait until later.”

 

Silence settled over the car while Wesker was thoughtfully staring at his face. His mask was back in place again, not giving any hint how he felt about going on a date with him. It was quite the intense star, turning it into the most dreadful moment in Chris’ life. He had never feared an answer this much before.

 

“I have never been on a date with another man. Or rather, I haven’t been dating anyone before.”

 

That made Chris snort. He hadn’t pictured him as someone who would start a relationship on his own anyway.

 

“Same. Just the occasional experience after a long night out and only once with someone of the same sex. As one of our teammates would say, _‘fuck ‘em, leave ‘em and never breed ‘em’._ ”

 

This in return made Wesker escape a soft chuckle. “And you consider sticking to those rules even while attempting a relationship with me?”

 

“W-what? No! The opposite really!” Chris realized too late that Wesker was messing with him. He dug himself into a hole there. “I mean- the last part- that’s something for later. Uhm. Wait, no! I mean- that’s totally up to you. Can you even- Shit!”  He cursed loudly and fought the impulse to bang his head against the steering wheel. Instead, he winced and closed his eyes. “Can we forget I said any of that?”

 

The blond nodded his affirmation and Chris had never been so relieved.

 

“I supposed we will discuss the details later. Now get out of the car and check the area for our suspect. Your vacation starts tomorrow.”

 

Chris had never been happier with following orders.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, took me a damn long time. I am sorry but my personal life, depression and studies kind of got in the way - and also a lack of ideas how to continue this story xD  
> ...  
> Human disaster right here.

 

He had considered everything there had to be arranged for his date with Wesker – Albert now (they should talk about how to be professional at work at some point. Frankly, he believed there wouldn’t be much of a change in their work environment) - to run smoothly. Chris wasn’t much of a romantic guy. Yes, he wore his heart on his sleeve sometimes and he got himself a dog, but that was about it; he somehow always wanted a dog anyway. Though, he might have been a bit overdramatic about-

Never mind.

 

He pictured W-Albert to be anything but fond of romance so that made their date or whatever this was going to be a lot easier. They had decided to take Jake and Whiskers with them. So in reality, there wasn’t really anything that needed to be arranged for their whatever-this-was-going-to-be and Chris spent a good portion of the day with getting used to the idea of getting into a relationship with his male boss. Semi-male? Somewhere between, but more on the male spectrum? Was that right? Would Albert murder him if he asked for anatomical details later? Most likely. No, definitely. If he valued his life he should never voice these thoughts. Never.

Anyway.

 

Albert was going to finish earlier again and Nadia would drop off the boy at the police department in a bit, which is why Chris found himself sitting on a bench nearby with Whiskers, patiently waiting for them to leave. Apparently, he was a little nervous, for he pulled out a pack of cigarettes two minutes into waiting and tapped one out. Probably his third today. The Fifth? He wasn’t quite sure how many he had had so far but it was certainly more than his regular daily consummation. He should really try to quit that unhealthy habit, especially around Jake.

 

Just as he exhaled a cloud of smoke through his lips, a hand tapped him on the knee, startling him a bit. However, who was trying to get his attention was a welcoming sight. The innocent face of a lovely redheaded angel beamed up at him. “Hey, Chris.”

“Hey, buddy! How wa-“

“Hi, Whiskers!”

 

_Rude brat._

 

Chris actually wanted to chat with Jake but the boy’s attention immediately wavered as soon as he spotted Whiskers and crouched down to hug and pet the little dog, completely ignoring Chris for the meantime. Even though Chris went through the trouble of throwing away his cig as far as possible right after Jake had greeted him. It was only mildly irritating and he wouldn’t let his mood be soared by this in any way. He had enough time in the near future to bond with the boy.

 

“Hello, Chris.” Nadia was standing next to them, a polite smile in place. She was looking as stunning as last time he had seen her and he found his mind wandering into forbidden territory. If he weren’t completely captivated by his captain…  “I am actually in a bit of a hurry. Is it alright to leave Jake with you? After all, you go on a walk together, right?”

Chris’ opened his mouth, ready to answer right away when it clicked in his head. Had Albert told her about their whatever-this-was-going-to-be? It was more likely Jake told her about their plans for today. Why did that thought bother him though? He had no time to contemplate this any longer for Nadia's whole attention was focused solely on his face, expecting a fast answer. “…Sure. Not a problem.”

“Thank you! See you on Friday, Jake!” She left right away, not looking back. Not that the boy paid her any attention or anyone else besides Whiskers for the matter.

 

Chris could have been a serial killer and just left alone with his next target. It was way too naïve of her to leave Jake alone with a co-worker. But then again, she knew about their plans. It made him wonder how much they had talked about him at Albert’s place; how much Albert talked about him. On second thought, it was definitely Jake who told her about him.

Whiskers was jumping up and down in excitement while Jake was trying to pet her thoroughly. Chris chuckled at the sight. “She obviously missed you.”

“Mhm. I missed her too. Can I take the leash today?”

Chris looked him up and down, calculating whether Jake was strong enough to hold back an overly excited puppy. “Yeah, sure. But stay close by the whole time.” She wasn’t that big yet. It would also provide Chris with the opportunity to focus on his whatever-this-was-going-to-be thing with Albert while Jake was occupied with Whiskers.

 

They only had to wait for 5 more minutes for Albert to meet them. Or rather, an irritated Albert hastily walking outside, looking around and spotting them a few seconds later. Nadia definitely didn’t tell him and whoops, Chris maybe should have walked in with Jake and told Albert his son was with him. Great start for a whatever-date-thing.

 

Before Chris could say anything, Albert walked to the little redhead.

“Hey, dad!”

“Jake, ...can you wait on the bench for a short while? I need to talk with Chris.”

The boy just nodded his head and lent back against the backrest, content with spending some time alone with Whiskers. Chris, however, had a sinking feeling this wasn’t going to be a pleasant talk.

 

He waved his hand, indicating Chris should follow him so that they could have a more private talk. They walked a few steps before Albert stopped, far enough away so that Jake wouldn’t hear them but close enough to keep an eye on him.

“Chris, I appreciate the invitation and Jake clearly enjoys the time he can spend with your dog but this whole thing is a mistake. All of it. It will not work.”

 

At that moment Chris felt like his brain suffered some serious whiplash. Didn't they already have this conversation? He knew Albert wasn't one for the whole lovey-doveyness dating seemed to involve, and neither was Chris, but he had to admit that this wasn't on his long list of things that could possibly go wrong today. This was on a whole new level of wrong. This was the worst case scenario.

Blinking once, then twice, as if forcing his entire head to reboot itself, Chris struggled to get the words out. In fact, he struggled to even form a coherent sentence. "You...What?" He stammered, staring the blond down. "What do you mean? You're cancelling the- We haven't even done anything like that yet, Cap-" He paused, and corrected himself after a sharp intake of air, "Albert."

 

Wesker visibly cringed at the light scolding tone and Chris was unsure whether the blond was pissed and trying to keep his furry bottled up or uncomfortable with a mere subordinate calling him by his first name and possibly starting a scene in the open for strangers and colleagues to witness. He took a moment before answering him and it seemed like he was analyzing their situation and looking for the best way out of it. Chris wouldn't let him.

“I already told you precisely why this isn’t going to work. I will not be able to return your feelings the way you desire and I don’t seek such a connection with another person.” Wesker was doing his best to keep his voice down but it seemed like he was only one step away from reprimanding him like a little child.

“The only reason why we are in this position is because you pressured me into this by using my son and that wretched beast you bought for him.”

 

The ball was now back in Chris' court, having been accused of manipulating the older man into an arrangement he wanted to have no part in. He averted his eyes. For a moment, Chris actually pondered whether or not it was true; if he really did just take advantage of a convenient situation, and put Wes- Albert in an uncomfortable position. The last thing he wanted was for Albert to feel forced into being with him...that's not how these things should work. But then again, he was equally as unwilling to simply let such an opportunity pass. His only opportunity. He was stubborn, and he was determined to carve himself a place in Albert's icy heart. But he wanted Albert to see this wasn't a lost cause.

Chris raised his eyes back up to meet Albert's, for once unhappy by Albert's increasing lack of sunglasses around Jake. His eyes were quite intense and he felt his confidence crumble a bit under their scrutinizing look. But he couldn't back down now.

"Albert." His tone was stern, adamant. "All I want is for you to trust me just enough to give this thing a shot. I'm not expecting anything major." He paused, as if for emphasis. In reality, he tried to study his Captain's stone-cold face for a reaction. "I just..." Chris sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in apparent discouragement. "I just don't get how you can be so certain it will fail without trying first. I...I get things are difficult...for you…" His mouth was going dry already. "But I personally think we can make this work. With time." Chris gave Albert a look of hope, with expectant puppy-dog-eyes to match. The puppy-dog-eyes had never failed before. They shouldn't fail now either.

 

There were two possible scenarios. Either Wesker would kill him now or agree to go along, and quite frankly Chris was down for both options because the tension in the air was killing him.

 

Wesker let out a deep sigh, like the fate of the whole world was on his shoulders, weighing him down. Maybe it was just a normal sigh and Chris was just too anxious about his decision.

“Fine. You get today to prove me wrong but I still think this is a waste of time for both of us.”

Chris' heart leaped at this victory and he immediately fought his instincts to show his gratitude in any physical form. It was a sour victory, however. “Dating has its benefits, I guess. At least there are some ups to this. Jake will be able to see ‘this thing’ whenever it is convenient for the both of us. Assuming this arrangement works out - which I still think is unlikely - as joined forces we would also spend less money on everyday items. There will be tax benefits and a joint mortgage is easier to pay.”

What a romantic first date.

 

How did their date turn into a registered partnership discussion? Nonetheless, Chris couldn't help but smile.

But his smile got stuck halfway, his expression frozen in a mixture of both confusion and relief. Sure, he wanted Albert to see that there was a point to this, that they could make this work...but this was...a little bit too- "Pragmatic as always." He forced out a small chuckle in a poor attempt to ease the tension in the air.

 

He felt a little bummed out that his date only saw the practical aspects of a partnership, but...it's better than nothing. "Okay, this is...something, this is a start." Chris clasped his hands together, rubbing his palms in nervous anticipation. Maybe in the future, Albert would grow to look at their relationship as more than just financially convenient, but for now, Chris had to choose his words carefully. He didn't want to scare Albert off after only barely managing to make him stay.

 

He looked around and had a peek at Jake who was very much still preoccupied with his furry companion. "So since we have Whiskers with us it makes deciding on where to go pretty easy..." Chris put his hands in his pockets, now that he wasn't as tense. "Park sounds nice? Maybe we could grab a bite to eat on the way?" He returned his gaze to Albert, his smile more relaxed now. Time to prove his Captain he was worthy.

 

“The park is an appropriate place to go to with a dog and it would give Jake more time to play with it.” Albert didn’t say yes per se but it was obvious that there wouldn’t be a better place to have a relaxed first date. He focused again more on the situational benefits but Chris hopped the other would let his guard down and enjoy their joined time.

Albert walked past him without further comment as their conversation was seemingly done, and crouched down in front of Jake. “I am sorry that you had to wait. Are you hungry yet, Jake? Otherwise, we will get something at the park.”

 

The boy whipped his head from side to side, pondering over the question. Even though Jake was incredibly smart for his age he was still a little child with adorable antics. “Mm, I can wait.”

 

And there it was again. Albert's smile. That smile that made Chris lose his mind and damned his whole existence. That soft smile that forms on Albert’s lips whenever he speaks with Jake and thinks no one is watching. Without his sunglasses on Chris was able to look at his beautiful eyes as they softened upon talking with Jake.

“Good. Then let’s go,” Albert requested, reaching out his hand for Jake to take.

 

Chris felt his heart seize up, and his breath hitched. He was about to approach the two but instead remained at a safe enough distance from them to not make Albert close up again. He was so beautiful like this, when he wasn't trying his absolute hardest to banish any and every emotion back to from whence it came. Chris just stood there, completely stunned as he observed their exchange. He knew this was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

The question was if Albert would even let him.

 

Once he saw the two get ready to leave, he allowed himself to get closer. Chris felt himself getting overly excited and forced himself to calm down, sending a smile Jake's way. "Ready to go?" He did his best to sound casual, but he feared Albert would still somehow hear the weird tone in his voice. For that reason he made a point to focus on Jake, for the time being, avoiding looking towards Albert's face at all costs for the next minute.

 

“I still can take the leash, right?” Jake’s tiny hands formed into balls as he apprehensively waited for Chris to answer him. He thought about making him wait or making a big show out of it but he wanted to spend some time alone with Albert and the best way was to make Jake focus his entire attention on Whiskers.

“Sure. Go ahead, pal.”

The only problem was that Jake took the hand Albert had offered and held the leash with the other one, leaving Chris to decide whether ignoring his own dog to walk beside Albert was a smart idea. Would it be inappropriate to walk beside Albert right at the start of their date (and maybe even hold his hand)? He was worried whether Albert would immediately call off the whole thing – AGAIN – or knock him out cold. Honestly, Albert made him overthink every decision he was about to make and that didn’t suit his character at all. He needed to get a grip and act more like himself again around the other man.

 

Deciding to be bold - whether his courage bordered on stupidity, he didn't care - Chris took a deep breath and positioned himself to Albert's left, essentially sandwiching the blond between Jake and himself. He snuck a quick glance at Albert's free hand but chose not to touch him... yet. Trying to shake the anxiety off, Chris waited for the other two to start walking before following suit, appearing as confident as he could possibly be without looking ridiculous. Which he was. He was acting ridiculous. Walking beside Albert like this made his chest feel full, and he focused on that feeling of pride and excitement rather than let his insecurities hold the reigns.

 

The streets were busy, but not crowded - just enough people to make everything seem lively without being overbearing. Chris took everything in, from sounds to scents to feelings, and drowned out the cacophony of his thoughts by grounding himself to what was currently happening. So what if it was mostly Jake and the dog that they were both presently preoccupied with...

This was good. Chris liked it. He was one step closer to achieving something here. One step closer to Albert. This was going to work.

 

**_________________________**

 

 

Soon they entered the park. Sunlight flashed on the water of the nearby pond where big old trees were casting big patches of shadow over the surrounding area, shielding the quaint little spot from the intensity of the sun, thus making it the perfect place to stay for a bit. Staying in the shadows wasn’t necessary due to the afternoon sun being fairly mild but the spot was rather nice and Whisker obviously loved the scenery around the lake, tugging harder against the leash for once, desperate to get to the water and making it harder for Jake to hold her back. It was the perfect time for a short rest and letting Whiskers run around.

Not too far away should have been a small food truck if Chris’ memory served him correctly. He crouched down to Whiskers and unclasped the leash from the collar to let his eager puppy run around the pond a bit. “I will get us something to eat Jake. You and your Dad make sure that she doesn’t try to go for a swim.”

“We will!” Jake exclaimed, going right after Whiskers as she made her way towards the water. She was still so slow. Slow enough for Jake to easily catch up to her and run past her, cheering for her to follow him.

Albert remained silent, probably not too keen on the idea of being responsible for Chris’ dog but Chris could hardly ask Albert to get them something to eat and give him directions to the place he had in mind when originally he was the one inviting them both to this walk in the first place. It was faster and easier that way.

There was also the possibility of Albert starting a shouting battle with the hot dog guy because he had an equally short temper. Not that Albert wasn’t the definition of a cool-headed and collected man (although he had his moments). Chief Irons was getting on his nerves because of their recent case (which he should catch up on as soon as possible). Combined with the stress of parenthood and the situation they had going on between them, it was a miracle that Albert hadn’t lashed out at some poor fella yet.

 

The first sip of his warm coffee was soothing Chris' worries instantly… for a few seconds. A date wasn’t supposed to be this stressful. He should be enjoying himself and sneak in as many friendly touches as he could. Maybe this was a sign that this really wasn’t supposed to happen; that they weren’t meant for each other. And there was no one else to blame for this but himself. Chris was the one pushing so hard for them to end up together and ultimately made their situation as difficult and complicated as it was right now.

 

This was the last straw.

 

He wouldn’t dwell on all these negative thoughts anymore. He was going to enjoy this day no matter what.

With two hot dogs and a plate of a curry sausage in his hands, he made his way back to Albert and Jake, ready to truly enjoy their date. The tense expression on Albert’s face, however, was a clear indicator that something had happened in his absence and that their date was officially over before it had even properly started …


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wesker is his douchy self and we love him for it. At least I do.  
> Have some police work! xD
> 
> PS: Had a huge writer's block. I finally managed to overcome it.

 

His date with Chris already guaranteed this day to be a pain in the ass but the call from chief Irons was only adding to his temper. The man’s voice was booming annoyingly loud and it made Albert question whether that pig ever learned how to have a decent and calm conversation with another human being. Trying his best to keep a levelled head and don’t scare his son by answering the man in the same manner as he presented in the call, Albert resorted to grinding his teeth instead of answering right away, resulting into a _‘Are you fucking deaf? Get a nanny for the brat and come back to the station immediately.’_ from Irons.

If Irons was here in front of him right now, he would be very tempted to punch him into his ugly face. His new additional assignment for them was probably some ridiculous favour one of his business acquaintances called in. As if they didn’t already have enough work with smashing the small drug cartel which was operating like pros that have been in the business for more than ten years. But it must be a new case that had the highest priority. Definitely. Most likely a petty crook that once again had vandalised the facade of the house of the councilwoman, who was in dire need of a bit of brushing-up on sexual harassment. Albert shuddered at the memory of her giving him a smack on his bottom. He would send Brad if they ever had to deal with her again.

 

“Care to share why I have to spend my free evening in the RCPD before I rush over there and waste my time?”

“Watch it, boy.” Oh, how he longed to smash in his face. _‘Boy’_. “Have you heard about the kids who went missing lately?”

 

Everyone who wasn’t spending their time 24/7 locked up in their office jerking off to the thought of their secretary and niece knew about those disappearances.

 

“Since the guy you arrested and turned into a snitch was seen with one of the kids the case officially became yours.” Sounded more like the team formerly working on the case was too incompetent to solve it.

“There is only the slight chance of a connection and you decided to give S.T.A.R.S. the case. On what basis?” The questions ‘Don’t you think one big case for my team isn’t enough’ and ‘Who whooped your ass and demanded that this case needs to be solved as soon as possible’ were heavily implied by the tone Albert used.

Irons sighed, and Albert was surprised by the lack of a brash reaction from the man. He had expected Irons to shout and demand more respect that he undoubtedly didn’t deserve but he remained calm and answered him in an even tone. “The latest missing kid happens to be the daughter of Mrs Charlotte Bolton. The media will watch our every step.”

Albert forced himself to not outright curse in front of his child. Of course, just when he was thinking about that nasty councilwoman her 14 years old daughter had to disappear. As if he wasn’t already forced to deal with the wannabe drug cartel and Chris’ love-sick puppy face. Just his luck. With a tired and annoyed expression forming on his face he stared at the pond and finished the call, assuring Irons that his team would start working right away.

 

About that time Chris returned and Albert could already see himself getting a headache at the end of the day. Chris’ smile thinned a little upon noticing his sudden mood change and that made cancelling their date for good that much easier. No need to sugar-coat it then. He had no idea why he even went along with this anyway. There was no obligation for him to go on a date with him and Chris using Jake to bate him was the only reason why he even agreed to this pointless activity today. It was definitely not the kiss.  

“What happened?” Chris asked, handing Jake his hotdog.

“Chief Irons called and dropped another case on us. Your vacation is cancelled,” Albert answered briefly. Chris didn’t seem to grasp what this meant for them in this particular situation, so he continued. “The date is over. We will drive back to the station now,” he turned towards Jake then, “I am sorry, but you have to eat your hotdog in the cab, Jake. Let’s go.”

 

He grabbed his son’s hand and started to walk off without even looking back to make sure Chris was following them. He didn’t even spare a glance at Whiskers, making it obvious that Chris had to take care of his dog until they reach the station. He had no patience to metaphorical hold Chris’ hand and make him feel better about the abrupt end of their experiment today. Chris promised him a professional behaviour during work and he would make sure to remind him of his duties if the young man decided to start whining…

 

**___________________________**

 

 

Albert was tired, but he had a job to do. A job that hardly got him any closer to his actual goal of ripping apart every branch of Umbrella and killing Spencer - for the man’s insane plans and his longing for the other abducted Wesker children to be part of it. If it weren’t for the need of crushing them with legal methods due to Jake’s existence, Albert would have gotten another job. One that would get him dangerously close to Spencer. But he was obligated to take care of the boy. He wouldn’t go as far as to describe his bond with him as love because he was absolutely certain of his inability to offer anyone anything more than deep gratification and kinship. Although, he wasn’t sure how else to describe these foreign emotions he felt whenever Jake smiled at him. Not only did Spencer fail in hiding the full truth from him, he also failed at making him completely numb and immune to those weak human emotions.

 

Too many errors for a man that planned to create a new era…

 

As soon as they entered the office he offered Jake to sit on the couch with Chris’ dog, successfully getting rid of that small problem as well and then walked into the middle of the room, gathering everyone’s attention. “I take it you have already heard about the new case assigned to us.”

He received a round of curt nods and short affirmations.

“Good. You know what to do then.”

With that, his team started to get to work. They went through newspaper articles and got the files from the other division that had previously worked on the case, cluttering up their desks with more papers. Despite the short amount of time the other team could investigate, they sure as hell produced a lot of files.  Albert motioned for Jill to follow him as soon as he gave the order for the team to begin their investigations and led her to his car. He just needed to say _the name_ and Jill already knew what they were going to do.

Irons wanted a connection between the missing kids and their mole and they would give him one. It was time to pay Donny a visit.

 

**___________________________**

 

Jill unfolded a small sheet of paper with Donny’s addresses from a file she took with her before entering the car. As prepared as always. That’s why she was his second favourite. Although, Chris’ latest advances made him reconsider his choice. At least she wasn’t irritating him every given moment with that wistful look.

It was already getting dark and Jill had a bit of trouble reading the addresses, but the streetlights illuminated the car enough for her to read it out loud. The address led them to a rather dangerous area. Minimum wage workers, drug addicts and other poor fellas lived in this part of the city. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to spend too much time here. He feared for his car to get stolen or his tires to get slashed. The last thing he needed today was to wait in this neighbourhood for a taxi.

Albert parked in front of a shabby apartment complex and studied the area around the house. At this time of the day, the criminal scum of the city slowly started to invade the streets and alleys.  Albert’s hands clenched on the steering wheel for a long moment, watching the passersby for any signs of danger before opening the car door.  Jill did as her captain and observed the area as they left the car. He might have been worried about his car before but getting jumped by some desperate thug would be icing on the cake. The street seemed to be safe at first glance, but they needed to keep their guard up. There was still the chance that Donny had some visitors or would chicken out of their deal and try to run. He would definitely try to run if, by any chance, Iron’s suspicions were correct. Albert inwardly shuddered at the thought. The pig would be annoyingly pleased with himself for weeks if he was right about this one.

 

As they reached the floor of their suspect he gave Jill a sign to position herself on the other side of the door leading into Donny’s apartment in case the guy would try anything funny. He blocked the path to the elevator, she the metal door to the stairwell. They stood there for a short while, listening for any sounds in the flat. There was nothing besides the faint sound of a TV, meaning Donny was at home and probably alone. Albert briefly considered knocking on the door - like they should, based on protocol - and announcing their presence but it already had been a long day and he didn’t feel like running after a nervous little scum that left through the window and tackling him down to the ground if he happened to panic.

He carefully tried the handle first, disappointed by the door being locked. It was time for drastic measures.

 

Taking a deep breath, he moved back a few steps before successfully kicking in the door in one swift move, startling Jill with his unprofessionally aggressive choice of action. Her eyes widened as the door slammed into the wall, but she instantly regained her composure, ready for whatever was going to happen next. Without missing a beat, Albert drew his pistol and aimed at Donny who jumped up as soon as the door flung open.

 

“RCPD! Stay seated, Donny!”

 

The guy shot a glance at the window after making eye contact with Albert, contemplating whether he could make a beeline for it without getting harmed. He dropped the idea and stayed where he was, defensively raising his arms.

Good thing he kicked in the door. Otherwise, they would have spent the next few minutes running after that idiot in the dark streets. Fortunately for Albert, the door was not very stable, and the hinges were already rusty. He probably would have broken a bone or something with this reckless action. His foot hurt a little, but he could largely ignore the dull pain.

"Yo, man! Was that really necessary?! I'm watching an important game," Donny replied quickly, his whole body radiating nervousness.

Apparently, Donny was one of the less intelligent criminals they had pursued in their careers so far, otherwise, he would have known that their entering of his apartment was not entirely legal. Neither Albert nor Jill, however, would give him that information. If they were lucky, this conversation would last only five minutes. He didn't care whether Donny knew anything about the missing children or if they could remove him from the list of suspects. He just wanted this day to be over.

 

"You can continue wasting your limited time on your important sports games soon enough. You wouldn't happen to know the daughter of Councilwoman Charlotte Bolton?" Albert stared him right in the eyes. His look was icy, but not scary enough to get Donny to confess. "Who? Never heard of the lady," Donny answered, his voice rising an octave, and looked at the window again. The idiot wouldn't actually try to escape through there… now?

 

"Don't take us for fools. We know for a fact that you met up with Chloe. When was the last time you saw her? Or should I arrest you right away for kidnapping her to be on the safe side?" Chief Irons would even support him in this unlawful arrest.

 

"What!? Whoa-wait! Kidnapped? Chloe? I had nothing to do with it, man! I'm just selling her dandruff, nothing more! Ah-shit," Donny cursed after that confession. It was clear that he had kept some names out of his list but selling to Chloe Bolton, a minor, was really risky. Or just plain stupid. Definitely the latter.

 

With that confession, they could arrange a new, less favorable deal for Donny, but in their new case, this new insight did not help them in any way. Now they were left only with the information from the team that had previously worked on the case.

This really was his _lucky_ day...


End file.
